Namaskardesi

This will be short, cause it is late and I am exhausted...

I know that this is way lame-o but my excuses for not updating you with my adventures in India are as follows:

#1- we have no free time
all day is filled with classes and we are VERY scheduled. sometimes I can eat my lunch or dinner really quick and then have a min to check my email....but really not enough time for much of anything

#2- the internet connection is no bueno...that means no good in Spanish...

#3- at night I am (as stated above) exhausted! so if the internet is working i usually check my email and facebook and then crash.

but I wanted to really quick at least let you know...well give you a small idea of what I am doing:

these descriptions are in part pulled off of the Theatre Mitu intensive website.

This is a basic layout of my days...

8am
YOGA & MEDITATION
Every workday starts with a rigorous session of Yoga, preparing the body, mind, and spirit.

9am
breakfast

10am
CARNATIC MUSIC
Stemming from the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, Carnatic music is one of two main sub-genres of Indian classical music that evolved from ancient Hindu traditions. The main emphasis in Carnatic music is on vocal music; most compositions are written to be sung, and even when played on instruments, they are meant to be performed in gäyaki (singing) style.

1130 am
MOHINIATTAM
Mohiniattam is a traditional South Indian dance form from Kerala, India. This elegant dance is most often meant to be performed as a solo recital by women. The term Mohiniattam comes from the words "mohini" meaning a woman who enchants onlookers and "aattam" meaning graceful and sensuous body movements. The word "Mohiniattam" literally means "dance of the enchantress."

Kristy's added definition:
a really strict indian dance form that involves a lot of concentration, leg muscles, eye and hand movements, and bending with the torso. It is not easy...but really interesting. and our teacher Chechie looks beautiful when she dances!...I....well I am working on it.

130
lunch

230
KALARIPAYATTU
Kalaripayattu is a martial art with origins in Kerala and practised in that south Indian state and contiguous parts of neighbouring Tamil Nadu. It incorporates strikes, kicks, grappling, choreographed martial art sequences, and weaponry, as well as healing techniques.

This is kicking my butt! LITTERALLY! my body is SO sore! all of us! I dont think that I can really explain the intense training that we are going through for this class. it hurts! I dread and love this class all at the same time

Next week we will also be adding:
KATHAKALI
Kathakali, deriving from the words "katha" (meaning story) and "kali" (meaning play), is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama. This classical Keralan art form employs make-up, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures, and well-defined body movements that are accompanied by music and percussion to present the stories of the greatest Hindu epics. A Kathakali actor uses immense concentration, skill and physical stamina, gained from regimented training based on Kalaripayattu, the ancient martial art of Kerala, to prepare for this demanding art form. Actors never speak, enacting their story purely through the movement of the hands (mudras), facial expressions (rasas), and bodily movements.

430
SOUTH INDIAN CULTURE AND HINDUISM (aka cultural context)
This class will provide and facilitate a deep cultural and historical context of South India and Bangalore. This class will focus on the Kannad language (the dominant language of Bangalore and the state of Karnataka), customs and traditions, allowing all participants to engage with our host country in a way that is open and fearless. The class will also consist of continuous outings and trips to further this context.

the "field trips" are on the weekends and have included going into the city, to the slums, to temples, and other various places that I will describe in more depth later on. =)

630
dinner

730
THEATER MITU'S WHOLE THEATER WORKSHOP
How does an artist prepare to create work that is rigorously visual, aural, emotional, intellectual and spiritual? This is the core mission of THEATER MITU's WHOLE THEATER training. Led by Theater Mitu Artistic Director, Rubén Polendo along with other company members, this advanced class weaves elements from the classical theater and ritual traditions of Japan, India, Bali, Iran, China, and Mexico into a method of theatrical exploration designed to push western artists in new and unexpected directions. This class further deepens the conversation of culture and performance by engaging the artist in a world conversation while reconciling the relationship between east and west. Focusing on intense physicality, full-bodied vocalization, live music, and powerful tools for connecting theatrical creation and ritual, this class seeks to engage artist in the discipline and rigor of creating theatrically impactful work by exploring THEATER MITU's rigorous training methodology known as the MAJOR STEPS of WHOLE THEATER.

THEATER MITU'S PHYSICAL THEATER CREATION WORKSHOP
Led by Rubén Polendo and fellow company members, this class will further the conversation of Whole Theater by dissecting it within the perspective of Western Dance, Dance theater and choreography. Taking the idea of WHOLE THEATER from the theoretical to the practical and focusing on useful tools for creation, performance and aesthetics.

Or

some days we have a Japanese BUHTO class instead. this was a class that we were going to take in Thailand but sense that part of the trip was canceled Ruben brought our teacher here so we could still have his classes.

We usually finish up around 11-1130 pm. I shower check email if internet is accessible, and try to write down what happened that day....uaually it is just a bullet pointed list so I can add details later. then I crawl (painfully) into bed around 1230 or 1.

Then start all over again at 730 the next morning.

so yeah, like I said very scheduled - but I am having some great experiences! learning and growing a lot!

there will be more pictures and LOTS of stories to share! I have lots already and I am only 1/2 done with my time here.

Lots of love from India!